Belgium left to wonder what might have been

A 24-match unbeaten run died along with Belgium’s World Cup dreams as the Red Devils lost to France in the semifinals on Tuesday.

A golden generation failed to live up to its promise once again. Four years ago, Belgium qualified for their first World Cup in over a decade, advancing to the quarterfinals before falling to eventual runners-up Argentina.

Entering this tournament, the Red Devils were ranked third in the world and ready to break through for the nation’s first-ever major international trophy. By Tuesday’s semifinal with France, they were riding a 24-match unbeaten run.

Ahead of the tournament, the question hanging in the air was whether this generation of Belgian talent could finally vault into rarefied air and play for a final in a major tournament. After Tuesday’s match, we learned that the answer to this question is a decisive no.

After a 1-0 defeat to France on Tuesday in Saint Petersburg, the best possible result for Belgium is now third place. Missed chances and 16 fouls proved costly for the Belgians, who were relegated to the consolation match against the loser of England-Croatia.

That would still be an improvement on the previous best by the Belgians, but that would also be small consolation after entering the tournament with high hopes and on good form after beating favorites Brazil in the quarterfinals.

Belgium may rue their group-stage victory against England. Beating the Three Lions proved far costlier than a loss would have been. That win put Belgium into the far tougher side of the bracket.

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There’s no guarantee the Red Devils would have defeated Croatia. But matches against Japan and Brazil sapped energy from Belgium in a way Colombia and Sweden would have struggled to match.

The window is closing quickly for this generation of Belgian stars. The back three of Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld will all be in their mid- to late-30s at the next World Cup. Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard will both be 31. Only eight of the 23 players Belgium brought to Russia were under the age of 25.

They will have a chance at Euro 2020, but this may have been the final opportunity on the world stage. France will play for their second World Cup trophy, while the Belgians are left to wonder what might have been once again.